U.S. patent application number 17/349778 was filed with the patent office on 2021-12-23 for measuring tape with finger stop.
The applicant listed for this patent is KOMELON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Seok Jun AN, Dong Hun KANG, Nam Hoon KANG, Baek Cheon SHIN.
Application Number | 20210396505 17/349778 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005670285 |
Filed Date | 2021-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210396505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KANG; Dong Hun ; et
al. |
December 23, 2021 |
MEASURING TAPE WITH FINGER STOP
Abstract
Disclosed is a measuring tape which comprises a housing, a reel
received in the housing, and a blade wound on an outer surface of
the reel and withdrawn or restored from an entrance of the housing,
the measuring tape comprising: a finger recess formed through a
bottom surface of the housing to expose a bottom surface of the
blade; and a brake including a slide button exposed to the upper
portion of the entrance, a brake plate slidely moving inside the
housing depending on the movement of the slide button, and a brake
port formed at an end of the brake plate to selectively press the
upper surface of the blade, wherein the brake pork is positioned on
the upper portion of the finger recess in a released state, and
presses the upper surface of the blade by moving to the rear side
of the finger recess in a locked state.
Inventors: |
KANG; Dong Hun; (Busan,
KR) ; KANG; Nam Hoon; (Busan, KR) ; AN; Seok
Jun; (Busan, KR) ; SHIN; Baek Cheon; (Busan,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KOMELON CORPORATION |
Busan |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005670285 |
Appl. No.: |
17/349778 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01B 2003/1066 20130101;
G01B 2003/1033 20130101; G01B 3/1048 20200101; G01B 3/1003
20200101 |
International
Class: |
G01B 3/1003 20060101
G01B003/1003; G01B 3/1048 20060101 G01B003/1048 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 18, 2020 |
KR |
10-2020-0074006 |
Claims
1. A measuring tape which comprises a housing, a reel received in
the housing, and a blade wound on an outer surface of the reel and
withdrawn or restored from an entrance of the housing, the
measuring tape comprising: a finger recess formed through a bottom
surface of the housing to expose a bottom surface of the blade; and
a brake including a slide button exposed to the upper portion of
the entrance, a brake plate slidely moving inside the housing
depending on the movement of the slide button, and a brake port
formed at an end of the brake plate to selectively press the upper
surface of the blade, wherein the brake pork is positioned on the
upper portion of the finger recess in a released state, and presses
the upper surface of the blade by moving to the rear side of the
finger recess in a locked state.
2. The measuring tape of claim 1, wherein a first case and a second
case are included to form the housing, wherein guide protrusions
are formed at left and right ends in the first case and the second
case to guide the movement of the brake plate.
3. The measuring tape of claim 2, wherein a first elastic layer is
integrally formed on the outer surface of the first case, and a
second elastic layer is integrally formed on the outer surface of
the second case, wherein the first elastic layer and the second
elastic layer extend to the inner surface of the housing from the
rear side of the finger recess to form a blade support surface, the
brake fork is first in contact with the upper surface of the blade
on the blade support surface while moving in a locked state, and
the blade pork presses the blade at the rear end of the blade
support surface while passing through the blade support surface by
the additional movement of the slide button.
4. The measuring tape of claim 1, wherein a width of the finger
recess is formed to be larger than a width of the blade to expose
the overall width of the blade by the finger recess.
5. The measuring tape of claim 1, wherein side left and right
boundaries of the finger recess are asymmetrically formed, and the
heights of the portions exposed by the finger recess are different
from each other at the left and right sides of the housing.
6. A measuring tape which comprises a housing, a reel received in
the housing, and a blade wound on an outer surface of the reel and
withdrawn or restored from an entrance of the housing, the
measuring tape comprising: a finger recess formed through a bottom
surface of the housing which is formed in a hollow shape to expose
a bottom surface of the blade, wherein a width of the finger recess
is formed to be larger than a width of the blade to expose the
overall width of the blade by the finger recess.
7. The measuring tape of claim 6, wherein the blade is maintained
in a concavely curved state in the finger recess and a side edge of
the blade is positioned to be higher than an adjacent side boundary
of the finger recess.
8. The measuring tape of claim 6, wherein the blade is maintained
in a concavely curved state in the finger recess and a tangent
extending in a vertical direction to a central line of the blade
from the side edge of the blade passes through the housing.
9. The measuring tape of claim 6, wherein side left and right
boundaries of the finger recess are asymmetrically formed, and the
heights of the portions exposed by the finger recess are different
from each other at the left and right sides of the housing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2020-0074006 filed on Jun. 18, 2020, in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a measuring tape, and more
particularly, to a measuring tape with a finger stop capable of
controlling a withdrawal distance and a restoring rate of a blade
using a finger.
Description of the Related Art
[0003] A general measuring tape includes a housing, a reel
elastically supported inside the housing, a blade wound on the reel
in a coil form, and an end hook coupled to an end of the blade. A
user withdraws the blade from an end to which the end hook is
coupled for measurement and withdraws the blade by a desired length
to measure a length or distance of an object to be measured.
[0004] Further, the elastically operating reel includes a clockwork
spring and a bobbin receiving the clockwork spring and is provided
in a state in which the blade is wound on an outer surface of the
bobbin and withdrawn to the housing, and the blade withdrawn by
restoration force of the clockwork spring may return in a winding
direction on the bobbin.
[0005] A brake may be included to maintain a withdrawn state of the
blade. In general, the brake includes a button exposed to the
outside of the housing, and may temporarily stop the return of the
blade or release the stopped blade through an operation of pressing
the button.
[0006] However, in addition to such a brake type, there is a finger
stop type measuring tape using a finger.
[0007] In U.S. Pat. No. 8,806,770, there is disclosed a measuring
tap equipped with a separate finger guard member in order to
prevent a hook from colliding with a finger while returning,
wherein a finger is positioned between an entrance formed
separately in a housing and a guard member mounted on the front
side thereof to control the blade to return by the finger.
[0008] However, there is an inconvenience to separately mount the
finger guard member, and it is difficult to be easily controlled
because the structure is complicated and the blade is stopped only
by a surface pressed by the finger.
[0009] In U.S. Pat. No. 8,898,922, there is disclosed a measuring
tape in which a finger recess is partially formed below a housing
and a lock point of a blade is formed close to a front side, that
is, an entrance of the finger recess. This measuring tape enables
finger-braking, but since only a part of a bottom surface of the
blade is exposed at a small width by the finger recess, a
sufficient drag force cannot be supplied.
[0010] The above-described technical configuration is a background
technique for assisting the understanding of the present invention,
and does not mean a conventional technology widely known in the art
to which the present invention belongs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring
tape with a finger stop having a simple structure without
additional elements so as to solve the problems of conventional
finger stop type measuring tapes.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
measuring tape with a finger stop capable of supplying a drag force
of the finger stop to upper and lower surfaces of a blade by
forming an opposite support structure at a point pressing a
finger.
[0013] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
measuring tape with a finger stop capable of supplying a sufficient
drag force entirely so that the bottom surface of the blade is
fully exposed by controlling the blade using a finger recess.
[0014] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a measuring tape with a finger stop capable of considering a left
hand use of a right-handed user and a right hand use of a
left-handed user by considering a use of both hands.
[0015] Still yet another object of the present invention is to
provide a measuring tape with a finger stop capable of enabling an
interaction between a slide-type general brake and a finger-stop
brake and improving an operation by a slide brake.
[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention to achieve the objects of the present invention, a
measuring tape which comprises a housing, a reel received in the
housing, and a blade wound on an outer surface of the reel and
withdrawn or restored from an entrance of the housing, the
measuring tape comprises: a finger recess formed through a bottom
surface of the housing to expose a bottom surface of the blade; and
a brake including a slide button exposed to the upper portion of
the entrance, a brake plate slidely moving inside the housing
depending on the movement of the slide button, and a brake port
formed at an end of the brake plate to selectively press the upper
surface of the blade, wherein the brake pork is positioned on the
upper portion of the finger recess in a released state, and presses
the upper surface of the blade by moving to the rear side of the
finger recess in a locked state.
[0017] A first case and a second case may be included to form the
housing, wherein guide protrusions may be formed at left and right
ends in the first case and the second case to guide the movement of
the brake plate.
[0018] A first elastic layer may be integrally formed on the outer
surface of the first case, and a second elastic layer may be
integrally formed on the outer surface of the second case, wherein
the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer may extend to
the inner surface of the housing from the rear side of the finger
recess to form a blade support surface, the brake fork may be first
in contact with the upper surface of the blade on the blade support
surface while moving in a locked state, and the blade pork may
press the blade at the rear end of the blade support surface while
passing through the blade support surface by the additional
movement of the slide button.
[0019] A width of the finger recess may be formed to be larger than
a width of the blade to expose the overall width of the blade by
the finger recess.
[0020] In addition, left and right boundaries of the finger recess
may be asymmetrically formed, and the heights of the portions
exposed by the finger recess may be different from each other at
the left and right sides of the housing. Since a right-handed user
may have relatively weak left-handed grip strength, the left side
exposed portion of the finger recess is highly formed to form a
drag force on a wider surface. On the other hand, since a
left-handed user may have relatively weak right-handed grip
strength, the right side exposed portion of the right finger recess
is relatively highly formed so that the user may further
conveniently use the measuring tape when gripping the measuring
tape with a right hand.
[0021] According to a more detailed example, in the case of a
measuring tape for a right-handed user, a left side exposed portion
of the finger recess may be formed to be higher than a right side
exposed portion thereof. For finger protection, the blade may be
maintained in a concavely curved state in the finger recess, and
the right side edge of the blade may be positioned to be higher
than an adjacent side boundary of the finger recess to prevent the
finger from being injured by the side of the blade.
[0022] In addition, the left side edge of the blade formed
asymmetrically may be exposed by the side exposed portion of the
finger recess formed relatively high, wherein a tangent extending
in a vertical direction to the central line of the blade from the
left side edge of the blade may pass through the housing to prevent
the finger from being injured even when the user grips the
measuring tape with the left hand.
[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention to achieve the objects of the present invention, a
measuring tape which comprises a housing, a reel received in the
housing, and a blade wound on an outer surface of the reel and
withdrawn or restored from an entrance of the housing, the
measuring tape comprises a finger recess formed through a bottom
surface of the housing which is formed in a hollow shape to expose
a bottom surface of the blade, wherein a width of the finger recess
is formed to be larger than a width of the blade to expose the
overall width of the blade by the finger recess.
[0024] The blade may be maintained in a concavely curved state in
the finger recess and a side edge of the blade may be designed to
be positioned to be higher than an adjacent side boundary of the
finger recess.
[0025] The blade may be maintained in a concavely curved state in
the finger recess and a tangent extending in a vertical direction
to a central line of the blade from the side edge of the blade may
be designed to pass through the housing.
[0026] Side left and right boundaries of the finger recess may be
asymmetrically formed, and the heights of the portions exposed by
the finger recess may be different from each other at the left and
right sides of the housing.
[0027] According to the measuring tape with the finger stop of the
present invention, it is possible to form a simple type finger stop
structure by forming a finger recess through a bottom surface of a
housing without a need to mount additional elements on the
housing.
[0028] Further, it is possible to form an opposite support
structure by positioning a brake pork at a point pressing a finger
and improve a drag force by contacting the upper surface of the
finger stop on both sides by the brake pork while pressing the
bottom surface of the blade by a finger.
[0029] Further, it is possible to supply a sufficient drag force
entirely so that the bottom surface of the blade is fully exposed
by controlling the blade using a finger recess.
[0030] Further, it is possible to consider a left hand use and
safety of a right-handed user by considering a use of both hands
and consider a right hand use and safety of a user by considering a
right hand use of a left-handed user.
[0031] Further, it is possible to enable an interaction between a
slide-type general brake and a finger-stop brake and improve an
operation by a slide brake.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The above and other aspects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing a measuring tape
with a finger stop according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view for describing an internal
structure of the measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 1;
[0035] FIG. 3 is a side view for comparing left and right shapes of
the measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 1;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a bottom view for describing a finger recess of
the measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view for
describing an internal structure viewed in a V-V' direction in FIG.
4 in the measuring tape with the finger stop according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a second case and a brake for
describing the internal structure of the measuring tape with the
finger stop according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for describing a finger
stop function of the measuring tape with the finger stop according
to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0040] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for describing a stop
function by a brake in the measuring tape with the finger stop of
FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings, but the present invention is not limited or restricted to
the embodiments. For reference, in the description, like reference
numerals substantially refer to like elements, which may be
described by citing contents disclosed in other drawings under such
a rule and contents determined to be apparent to those skilled in
the art or repeated may be omitted.
[0042] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for describing a measuring tape
with a finger stop according to an embodiment of the present
invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view for describing an internal
structure of the measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a side view for comparing left and right shapes of the
measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a
bottom view for describing a finger recess of the measuring tape
with the finger stop of FIG. 1.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a measuring tape 100 according to
the embodiment includes a housing 110, a reel 140 received in the
housing 110, and a blade 160 wound on an outer surface of the reel
140 and withdrawn or restored from an entrance 112 of the housing
110.
[0044] The housing 110 is formed by coupling of a first case 120
and a second case 130, the reel 140 is received inside the housing
110 based on a rotation axis connecting the first case 120 and the
second case 130 and may include a bobbin on which the blade 160 is
wound and a spring received in the bobbin. The bobbin and the
spring may refer to a structure of other existing measuring
tapes.
[0045] For example, the spring may be provided in a clockwork
shape, and an inner end thereof is fixed to a rotation axis of the
reel 140, and an outer end thereof is fixed to an end of the blade
160. Thus, the spring may continuously provide a force for winding
the blade 160, and the blade 160 withdrawn to the outside of the
housing 110 may return to the inside through the entrance 112 of
the housing to be wound on the outer surface of the reel 140.
[0046] The measuring tape 100 may include the blade 160 capable of
measuring 3.5 m, 5.5 m, and the like, depending on a measurable
maximum length, and may be provided in various types depending on a
material, a width, or the like of the blade 160. Further, a hook
170 may be mounted on the end of the blade 160.
[0047] According to the embodiment, a finger recess 114 may be
formed on a bottom surface of the housing 110. The finger recess
114 may be formed through the bottom surface of the housing 110,
and may be formed by fitting recess grooves formed at lower
portions of the first case 120 and the second case 130 to each
other. Since the housing 110 is formed in a hollow shape, the
inside of the housing 110 needs to be exposed by the finger recess
114, but since the blade 160 passes through an inner bottom of the
housing 110, the bottom surface of the blade 160 may be
substantially exposed to the outside through the finger recess
114.
[0048] In addition, the measuring tape 100 may include a brake 150
for temporarily fixing the blade 160. The brake 150 may include a
slide button 152 exposed to the upper portion of the entrance 112,
a brake plate 154 slidely moving inside the housing 110 depending
on the movement of the slide button 152, and a brake port 156
formed at an end of the brake plate 154 to selectively press the
upper surface of the blade 160.
[0049] The brake pork 156 may be designed to be positioned on the
upper portion of the finger recess 114 while the brake 150 is
released, that is, in a released state, and designed to press the
upper surface of the blade 160 by moving to the rear side of the
finger recess 114 in a locked state.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 4, a width Wf of the finger recess 114 may
be formed to be larger than a width Wb of the blade 160, and on the
bottom surface of the housing 110, both a first side edge 162-1 and
a second side edge 162-2 of the blade 160 may be seen through the
finger recess 114.
[0051] Accordingly, the bottom surface of the blade 160 may be
exposed by the finger recess 114 with the entire width, and the
user may further stably stop the blade 160 by pressing the bottom
surface of the blade 160 exposed entirely on the left and right
sides. For reference, in the related art, for finger protection,
since only a central portion of the bottom surface of the blade is
exposed, there is a problem that the user needs to press the blade
more than needs, but the measuring tape according to the embodiment
may solve this problem.
[0052] Further, side left and right boundaries of the finger recess
114 may be asymmetrically formed, and the heights of the portions
exposed by the finger recess 114 may be different from each other
on the left and right sides of the housing 110.
[0053] Since a right-handed user may have relatively weak
left-handed grip strength, the left side exposed portion of the
finger recess is highly formed to form a drag force on a wider
surface. On the other hand, since a left-handed user may have
relatively weak right-handed grip strength, the right side exposed
portion of the right finger recess is relatively highly formed so
that the user may further conveniently use the measuring tape when
gripping the measuring tape with a right hand.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 3, it is assumed that the measuring tape
100 according to the embodiment is used by the right-handed user,
and when the right-handed user grips the measuring tape with the
right hand, a height h1 of a portion 114-1 exposed by the finger
recess 114 in the first case 120 in contact with a palm is
relatively lower than a height h2 of a portion 114-2 exposed by the
finger recess 114 in the second case 130 opposite thereto.
[0055] Accordingly, the first side edge of the blade 160 is not
seen through the portion 114-1 exposed by the finger recess 114 in
the first case 120 side, but the second side edge 162-2 of the
blade 160 may be seen through the portion 114-2 exposed by the
finger recess 114 in the second case 130 side.
[0056] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view for
describing an internal structure viewed in a V-V' direction in FIG.
4 in the measuring tape with the finger stop according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0057] Referring to FIG. 5, for finger protection, the blade 160
may be maintained in a concavely curved state in the finger recess
114, and the right side edge 162-1 of the blade 160 is positioned
higher than an adjacent side boundary of the finger recess 114 to
prevent the right hand or the finger thereof from being injured by
the side of the blade 160.
[0058] Further, the left side edge 162-2 of the blade 160 formed
asymmetrically may be exposed to be seen from the side by the side
exposed portion of the finger recess 114 formed relatively high.
Here, a tangent extending in a vertical direction to a central line
of the blade 160 from the second side edge 162-2 of the blade 160
may be designed to pass through the housing 110. Accordingly, even
when the user grips the measuring tape with the left hand, the
finger is entirely bent to press the bottom surface of the blade
160 to prevent the second side edge 162-2 from being in direct
contact with the finger.
[0059] Further, as illustrated in the drawings, when the brake port
156 is positioned directly on the blade 160 and the user presses
the bottom surface of the blade 160 with the finger, on the upper
surface of the blade 160, the brake port 156 may be in contact with
the upper surface of the blade 160 to stop the blade 160 on both
sides.
[0060] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a second case and a brake for
describing the internal structure of the measuring tape with the
finger stop according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 6, the inside of the housing 110 is formed
in a hollow shape, and in order to minimize a space occupied due to
component formation, guide protrusions 134 for guiding the movement
of the brake plate 154 may be formed at left and right ends in the
first case and the second case 130.
[0062] The guide protrusions 134 may receive only the left and
right sides of the brake plate 154 and formed to be lower than an
outer wall of the second case 130 to efficiently maintain an
installation space of the brake 150 inside the housing 110. A rail
136 for guiding the slide movement of the brake plate 154 by the
guide protrusion 134 may be formed on the second case 130.
[0063] Although not illustrated in FIG. 6, a guide protrusion and a
rail having similar structures may be formed even in the first case
120.
[0064] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for describing a finger
stop function of the measuring tape with the finger stop according
to an embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 8 is a
cross-sectional view for describing a stop function by a brake in
the measuring tape with the finger stop of FIG. 7.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 7, the brake fork 156 is positioned on the
finger recess 114 in a state in which a slide button 152 of the
brake 150 is in a release position {circle around (1)}.
Accordingly, if the user supports and lifts the bottom surface of
the blade 160 with a finger F, the upper and lower surfaces of the
blade 160 may be blocked by the brake pork 156 and the finger F,
respectively, and the user may stably stop temporarily the blade
160 by using a relatively small force.
[0066] Since the blade 160 is wound on the outer surface of the
reel 140, and the reel 140 tends to rotate in a clockwise
direction, when the finger F is released, the blade 160 may be
moved in the winding direction.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 8, a second elastic layer 132 made of a
rubber material may be formed on the outer surface of the second
case 130, and may be formed by double injection or compression
molding. Although not illustrated, a first elastic layer may be
formed even on the outer surface of the first case 120. The first
elastic layer and the second elastic layer 132 may protect the
surface of the case from the outside and absorb the impact that is
applied from the ground even if the measuring tape falls down, and
prevent the case from sliding from a user's hand.
[0068] Further, in the embodiment, the first elastic layer and the
second elastic layer 132 extend to the inner surface of the housing
110 from the rear side of the finger recess 114 to form a blade
support surface 132-1.
[0069] Accordingly, while the slide button 152 of the brake 150
moves in a locked state, the brake fork 156 in a middle position
{circle around (2)} may be first in contact with the upper surface
of the blade 160 near the blade support surface 132-1 (a).
[0070] When the user moves the slide button 152 up to a locking
position {circle around (3)} which is the bottom by further
lowering the slide button 152, the brake pork 156 passes through
the blade support surface 132-1 while the brake plate 154 is
partially bent by the additional movement of the slide button 152
and the brake pork 156 may firmly press the blade 160 at the rear
end of the blade support surface 132-1.
[0071] In this process, the blade support surface 132-1 made of the
rubber material may increase the contact resistance with the blade
160, and the brake fork 156 may easily pass through the upper
surface of the blade 160.
[0072] In addition, the blade 160 may be bent in a S shape by the
brake fork 156 at the rear end of the blade support surface 132-1
to more firmly maintain the stop state.
[0073] As described above, the present invention has been described
with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications
and changes of the present invention can be made without departing
from the spirit and the scope of the present invention which are
defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *